Velvet Swing - The Umbrella Collective

Although Women's History Month is over, Twin Cities theaters are still filled with fascinating, thought-provoking plays examining women from history. YAY!

Case in point: the ingenious and inventive Velvet Swing by Umbrella Collective at Bryant-Lake Bowl (through April 27).

Before seeing this play, my knowledge of Evelyn Nesbit was limited to her appearance in the musical Ragtime, based on the book by E.L. Doctorow.

Twelve Shows of Christmas!

You can't throw a snowball in the Twin Cities and Minnesota without hitting a holiday show.

In order to help you sort through the massively rich choices, here is our list of the shows we are most looking forward to and enjoying this holiday season!

A Very Asian Xmas 2016: The Holiday Party

Where: A-Mill Artist Lofts

When: Dec 12, 2016

Why We're In: Because last year's show left my cheeks hurting from smiling, and it made me want to go home and sing. I love that in a show.  Read last year's review here!

Miss Richfield 1981 in Trailer House to the State House – Santa Style!

Where: Illusion Theater

When: Dec 2 - 17, 2016

Why We're In: Because this year, more than any other year, I need to remember that there is utter hilarity in the world. Read our review here!

The Unscripted Minnesota Holiday
Where: Danger Boat Productions at Bryant Lake Bowl
When: Dec 1, 3, 8, 10, 17, 2016
Why We're In: Improv plus holiday plus musical theater. PLUS, this cast/creative: Lorna Landvik, Dane Stauffer, Max Beyer, Heather Meyer, and Lizzie Gardner. Music by Dennis Curley. Directed by Tane Danger.

Snowed Inn
Where: DalekoArts
When: Nov 25 - Dec 18, 2016
Why We're In: Even though the show is probably sold out completely by now, I want to give it a little love because of the fabulous premise: "After failed screenwriter Archie Ježek leaves the glitz and glamour of 1930s Hollywood to return to the small, Minnesota town where he grew up to run the family hotel, his dreams of a quiet, steady Midwestern life quickly devolve to madcap holiday hijinks and mayhem." Yes, please.

Nutcracker (Not So) Suite

Where: James Sewell Ballet at The Cowles Center

When: Dec 2 – 18, 2016

Why We're In: Because how fun does this sound? "Johnson’s highly inventive and irreverent production is set in the 60’s, beginning on the Upper-East-Side and careening into a beatnik downtown vibe with a life-size Barbie doll. The production is full of colorful characters all accompanied by a musical mash-up of hip-hop, R&B, contemporary tracks, and Christmas carols."

Black Nativity

Where: Penumbra Theatre

When: Dec 1 - 23, 2016

Why We're In: This IS our holiday tradition. We've been with Black Nativity from the many happy years at the Fitzgerald Theater to the current run at Penumbra, and no matter what else changed, this is always a show of love and gorgeous music. Read last year's review here!

A Christmas Carole Petersen

Where: Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

When: Nov 30 – Dec 23, 2016
Why We're In: Because this sweet, affectionate show about Tod Petersen's real life Christmas memories is hilarious and poignant by turns. Also, sugar cookies! Read our review here!

The Longest Night

Where: Open Eye Figure Theater

When: Dec 8 - 23, 2016

Why We're In: From our good friend Cherry and Spoon: "Part science lesson (complete with visual aids), part history, part mystical spirituality, The Longest Night is the loveliest of celebrations of the season."

The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical

Where: Minneapolis Musical Theatre at Camp Bar
When: Dec 2 - 23
Why We're In: Because Minneapolis Musical Theatre is having an amazing run of amazing shows. Plus, Camp is a super fun place to see a show AND is in St. Paul. Read our review here!

A Christmas Carol

Where: Wurtele Thrust at Guthrie Theater

When: Nov 16 - Dec 30, 2016

Why We're In: It's never been a tradition for us, but with the fabulous racially diverse casting and all of the wonderful Guthrie resources on display AND only two hours with intermission, how can you go wrong? Read our review here!

The Norwegians
Where: Dark & Stormy Productions at Grain Belt Warehouse
When: Dec 8 - 30, 2016
Why We're In: Dark & Stormy always ends up on our holiday theater list. Sometimes, there's only so much sugar plums and 'bless us, every one' that you can take, and D & S always has the cure. Plus, a show about really nice hit men? Yes, please.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas

Where: Ordway Center

When: Dec 8 - Dec 31, 2016

Why We're In: Look at the adorable Dieter Bierbrauer and Brian Sostek. How could we possibly not be in?

Okay, so that's twelve and I still have SO MANY SHOWS to tell you about! I'm turning things over to a few of our Twin Cities Theater Bloggers friends for a lightning round of recommendations.

The Room Where It Happens on A Very Die Hard Christmas
"If you need a pick-me-up this holiday season and want to see a wildly funny take on a classic 80s film, this show’s for you."
(at Bryant Lake Bowl through Dec 17)

Cherry and Spoon on A Gone Fishin' Christmas
"There's a reason that Yellow Tree's original Christmas plays are so popular and sell out virtually every performance - they are a perfect mix of heart and humor wrapped up in local jokes that we love so well, with a talented cast that makes these characters and the sweet and silly story sing (literally and figuratively)."(Yellow Tree Theater through Dec 11)

One Girl, Two Cities on The Averagers -  Christmas War
"I’ll be the first to admit that it doesn’t take much to make me laugh. But it’s not often that I cry from laughing so hard..."(Comedy Suitcase at Bryant Lake Bowl through Dec 11)

Compendium on What the Elf?
"I mean come on, we all love The Christmas Carol and A Christmas Story, but every single year? Sometimes you need to mix it up a little."(Brave New Workshop through January 28)

Why We Can't Have Nice Things - The Recovery Party at Bryant Lake Bowl

Why We Can't Have Nice Things is the first show I've seen by The Recovery Party. Playing through November 6 at Bryant Lake Bowl, the show is sharp social satire with occasional flights into the absurd.

This collection of comic sketches is formally titled Why We Can't Have Nice Things (or: The Peril of Choice), and this theme recurs throughout the show, from complaints about the excessive variety of Oreo cookies available to the number of names for the devil. Mostly, the humor revolves around modern life in today's United States, not shying away from the deep divides we are experiencing.

Joshua Will

It's a little odd in 2016 to see a show dealing with contemporary issues featuring such a homogenous cast, but the group leans into the choice, spending most of the show in identical black slacks and white shirts. They do have the grace to acknowledge that today, it's a little uncomfortable to be seeing five "old white guys" putting on a show. But they are very talented and funny guys who workshopped Joshua Will's script into a swift and entertaining evening.

Writer Will, who also directed, presents a snappy series of highly literate sketches. As a grammar nerd, I was particularly entertained by jokes about language and etiquette. Will reminded me a bit of Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers, not a bad reference for a comedy show.

Jim Robinson and Dennis Curley

Dennis Curley provides musical accompaniment and cheery original songs, as well as a recurring portrayal of the devil as a man frustrated by the difficulty of finding reliable minions to do his bidding.

Jim Robinson is convincing both as a disgruntled biology teacher forced to teach alternatives to evolution, and a guy no one wants to be in the steam room with. In another comedy reference, he bears an interesting resemblance to Fred Willard.

Eriq Nelson

Jeffrey Cloninger

Photos: therecoveryparty.com

Eriq Nelson showed a sly wit, often providing an unexpected twist on the proceedings. Even when things go slightly wrong, he keeps it funny.

Jeffrey Cloninger commanded the stage whether complaining about cookies or accidentally losing his soul by not reading the fine print.

Throughout, we are reminded, not-so-subtly, that we all have a choice to make in November and the show's viewpoint is fairly obvious. But it's not didactic or preachy. Running a tight and sharp 90 minutes, ... Nice Things has a lot of laughs about things that are on all of our minds. And it's good to laugh when we can!